Installation for the production of granulated products

ABSTRACT

An installation for the production of granulated products preferably imitation soft caviar, is provided with a granules forming device fed into which is a source protein solution supplied from a device wherein it is prepared. The granules forming device communicates, in succession, with an arrangement for separating granules from the forming device, a sorting device, a device for treating granules with water solutions of different substances and a device for mixing the treated granules with taste and aroma substances. Said installation is equipped with a feed-control device provided above the forming device and permits the obtaining of equally sized granules in the forming liquid. The continuity of the installation&#39;&#39;s operation is achieved by providing a conveyer that assembles the vessels of the device for treating granules with water solutions of various substances as well as by providing a centrifuge in the device for separating granules from the forming liquid, said centrifuge designed to ensure the continuous feed of granules separated from the forming liquid to the device for treating said granules with water solutions.

United States Patent 1191 Nesmeyanov etal.

1111 3,869,976 1451 Mar. 11, 1975 INSTALLATION FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GRANULATED PRODUCTS Filed: June 20, 1973 Appl. No.: 371,698

264/11, 264/13, 426/515 Int. Cl A23p 1/00 Field 61 Search 99/495, 496; 484, 516, 99/517; 426/515; 264/11, 13

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1930 Lowry 264/ll 22 ,9 I il ii ii 20 2/1970 Fohr 426/5l5 Primary Examiner-John W. Huckert Assistant Examiner-Charles Gorenstein [57] ABSTRACT An installation for the production of granulated products preferably imitation soft caviar, is provided with a granules forming device fed into which is a source protein solution supplied from a device wherein it is prepared. The granules forming device communicates, in succession, with an arrangement for separating granules from the forming device, a sorting device, a device for treating granules with water solutions of different substances and a device for mixing the treated granules with taste and aroma substances. Said installation is equipped with a feed-control device provided above the forming device and permits the obtaining of equally sized granules in the forming liquid. The continuity of the installations operation is achieved by providing a conveyer that assembles the vessels of the de- 4 vice for treating granules with water solutions of various substances as well as by providing a centrifuge in the device for separating granules from the forming liquid, said centrifuge designed to ensure the continuous feed of granules separated from the forming liquid to the device for treating said granules with water solutions.

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} "MENTEUHAR I HQTS sum 2 or '3 PATENTED 5 saw u [If g gmgmggmm m5 3.869 976 sum ear 3 I PATENTEUHARI 1 i975 sum 7 or 8 IIDDI BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to installations for the production of granulated products, preferably imitation soft caviar.

Known in the art is an installation for the production of granulated products, which comprises a device for preparing solutions made as a heated vessel with a mixer, from which a solution or a suspension goes to a granules forming device via a feeding device. The solution feeding device is designed as traveling draw plates through which a continuous solution or suspension jet is forced under-pressure into a forming liquid contained in the granules forming device.

The granules forming device is fashioned as a cylindrical vessel to be filled with a forming liquid 'not miscible with a solution or a suspension of food substances. The above cylindrical vessel is fitted with an overhead hopper and has a tapered bottom communicating with a pipe designed to drain the formed granules.

Through piping, the cylindrical vessel communicates with the arrangement for separating granules from the forming liquid, said arrangement being connected, in its turn, in series with vessels for treating separated and waslied granules with water solutions of various substances and a device for mixing treated granules with taste and aroma substances.

The arrangement for separating granules from the forming liquid and the vessels for treating the washed granules with water solutions of various substances are made analogous as cylindrical vessels with meshed cylinders concentrically arranged therein and discharge valves provided in the bottoms of said vessels.

The vessels for treating the washed granules with water solutions of various substances are fitted with mixers.

The device for mixing the treated granules with taste and aroma substances is made as a sloping revolving drum with inner longitudinal ribs. The front portion of said drum is meshed.

The known installation suffers from a number of disadvantages inherent in the design of some of its elements.

The arrangement for separating granules and the device fortheir treatment with water solutions operate by cycles, which affects the installation efficiency and creates conditions for incomplete utilization of reagents. Besides, the periodic operation of the arrangement and the device complicates the control and automatization of the installation as a whole and necessitates continuous watch over its functioning, especially during a prolonged run. This all cannot but reduce its efficiency and increase the coefficient of drainage of utilized reagents and power consumption at the same time.

Another major disadvantage of the known installation is that the formation of granules in the forming device takes place due to spontaneous crushing of the jet ofa source solution or a suspension of food substances into drops in a liquid medium being cooled, which leads to the formation of granules differing in size. Producing uniformly sized granules requires precise control of the rate of feed of a starting solution or a suspension of food substances in the form ofajet breaking into drops, especially when the starting material or the composition of the starting solution changes. This results in a reduced efficiency of the granules forming device.

In the known installation, the separation of granules from the forming liquid is done in a vessel with punched walls by way of a spontaneous flow of the liquid off the granules surface, which is prolonged and yet not complete enough.

The necessity of the protracted keeping of granules in the vessel for their separation from the forming liquid does not permit their continuous and uniform feed for further treatment, which results in a cyclic operation of the installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the above disadvantages.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an installation which produces uniformly sized granules in the forming medium as well as ensure their continuous treatment in water solutions of various substances.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which ensures the continuous and stable pro duction of granules from a solution or a suspension.

Another object of the invention is to raise the effciency of the installation.

Yet another object of the invention is to simplify the control of the related operations and to improve the quality of an outcoming product.

A further object of the invention is to provide an installation more economical in the consumption of reagents and in the use of maintenance personnel.

The object of the invention has been accomplished by providing an installation for the production of granulated products, preferably imitation soft caviar, from solutions or suspensions of food substances fed into a means that forms granules in a forming liquid, said granules-forming means being connected in series with a means for separating granules from the forming liquid, a means for treating washed granules with water solutions of various substances and a means for mixing the treated granules with taste and aroma substances. According to the invention, the means for treating granules with water solutions of various substances comprises a plurality of vessels assembled in a continuous vertical conveyer that carries punched shells with granules thereinand has means for charging and discharging said shells, said charging and discharging means being arranged respectively in the first and the last, along the travel, path of the granules vessels, a feed-control means is provided for feeding a solution or a suspension, which has a chamber whose bottom has, along its concentric periphery, holes that are to match holes of a revolving disk tightly pressed against the chamber bottom at the moment a solution or a suspension is being fed into a forming liquid.

It is practical that the conveyer be made as a chain with fingers rigidly secured on its links, each finger having a spring set thereon and a spring set thereon and a shell also set on it with its bottom to be pressed by its open neck, with the aid of a spring common to all the shells, against a cover plate provided with holes in the zone of the charging and discharging devices opposite to the necks of said shells.

The provision of the feed-control device in the proposed installation ensures continuous forced feeding and metering of the source solution or suspension of food substances in the form of drops strictly of a preset size, that are fed into the forming liquid, which prevents the formation of granules, differing in size.

The provision of the feed-control device also helps avoid the necessity of controlling the rate of feed of the source solution, which raises the efficiency of the granules forming device. The provision, in the device for treating granules with water solutions of various substances, of a continuous conveyer with charging and discharging devices permits uninterrupted treatment of granules owing to their continuous migration on said conveyer from one vessel into another.

The provision of the above conveyer simplifies the control of the process of treating said granules with water solutions, reducing it to a mere control of the rate of feed of treating water solutions, as well as permits a more effective utilization of water solutions in treating granules. If provided, the conveyer also raises the installation efficiency.

Each charging and discharging device is fashioned as a disk rigidly secured coaxially with the sprocket of a chain conveyer, said sprocket being arranged in the lower portion of the vessel and the disk adjoining the cover plate that separates the former from the necks of the shells and having, from the side opposite said cover plate, a central hole for feeding or discharging the granules, with radial channels leading from the disks thickest portion outwardly; these channels are provided with outlets on the disk side adjoining said cover plate to match, through the hole in the latter, in succession, the shells necks during the conveyer run.

The charging and discharging devices ensure continuous charging and discharging of the punched shells during the continuous travel of the conveyer.

It is practical that the holes in the disk of the feedcontrol device be made at a certain angle to the axis of rotation, their outlets overlooking necessarily outward from the axis of rotation, if regarded from the direction of travel of the granules.

The arrangement in the disk of the feed-control device, of holes at an angle to the axis of rotation ensures the forced feed of a solution or a suspension intov the I forming liquid.

The provision of the conveyer for the continuous travel of granules during their treatment in water solutions of various substances is practical only when said granules are continuously fed into the shells of said conveyer. To make the feed of granules into the conveyer shells continuous, provision is made for an arrangement for separating said granules from the forming liquid and their feeding as a continuous flow on to the conveyer, as well as for a meshy drum for the final washing of the granules, said drum being connected with a centrifuge by means of a pipe.

The centrifuge comprises a taper punched drum rotating on a vertical axle and expanding topwise, with circular collectors fitted with branch pipes being arranged externally in the upper and lower portions of said drum, respectively; of these, the upper collector is intended for collecting and removing granules and the lower one for collecting and draining the forming liquid.

The arrangement of one portion of the device for separating granules from the forming liquid as the centrifuge with the taper punched drum permits continuous separation of granules from the forming liquid and their uniform feed into the charging device of the con-' veyer.

During the beginning of the operation of the installation, granules being formed may be of different sizes. To sort granules whose sizes do not correspond to a prescribed one, provision is made for a means that sorts I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention 'will be more apparent from the detailed description of its exemplary embodiment and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a general diagram of the installation for the production of granulated products;

FIG. 2 is a general view of the device for preparing solutions;

FIG. 3 is a general view of the filter;

FIG. 4 is a general view of the feed-control device with an external arrangement of the disk(axial section):

FIG. 5is a general view of the feed-control device with an internal arrangement of the disk (axial section):

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a general view of the granules forming device (frontal view);

FIG. 8 is a general view of thegranules forming device (side view):

FIG. 9 is a general view of the centrifuge for separating granules from the forming liquid;

FIG. 10 is ageneral view of the device for sorting granules according to size;

FIG. 11 is a general view of the device for treating granules with water solutions;

FIG. 12 is a section view taken along line XII-Xll of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a section XIII-XIII of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a section view taken along line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13; and v FIG. 15 is a general view of the drain conveyer (lateral view).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The installation for the production of granulated products comprises a means 1 for preparing water solutions or suspensions of food substances, that communicates, by means ofa pipe 2 through a filter 3 and a pipe 4, with two accumulating tanks 5 connected with a collector 7 through a pipe 6.

Said collector 7 has connection with feed-control devices 8 intended for controlled feed of a solution or a suspension into a forming liquid contained in a granules forming device 9.

By means of a pipe 10 intended for taking granules out of the device 9, the latter communicates with a device 11 designed to' separate granules from the forming and the conveying liquids.

Next to the device 11 is a device 13 for sorting granules according to size, that communicates with the former via a chute 12.

By a pipe 14, the device 13 has connection with a device 15 intended for treating granules with water solutions of various substances.

By a pipe 16 and a drain conveyer 17, the device 15 communicates with a device 18 intended for mixing treated granules with taste and aroma substances.

The device 1 (FIG. 2) for preparing solutions or suspensions of food substances is made as a tightly sealed vessel 19 fitted with a mixer 20. Externally, said vessel 19 has a water jackket 21 for the heating and the thermostatic regulation of a solution being prepared.

To actuate the mixer, there is a geared motor 22 connected with the mixer by means of a cam sleeve 23. The drive of said mixer 20 is arranged on a rotary base 24 which permits movement of the mixer aside from the vessel 19 when its cover 25 is being closed. The heating is done by means of electric heating elements 26 positioned in the lower portion of the water space of the jacket 21. The'vessel 19 in its upper part has a branch pipe 27 for feeding compressed air thereinto and a branch pipe 28 with a tap 29 for draining the prepared solution from the vessel 19.

The vessel 19 is connected, by means of the pipe 2 (FIG. 1) with the filter 3 intended for the filtration of the solution or the suspension of food substances.

The filter 3 (FIG. 3) is made as a tightly sealed cylindrical vessel 30 fitted with a water jacket 31. Accommodated inside the vesxel 30 is a supporting grate 32 and a filtering gauze 33.

The filter 3 comnmunicates, by means of the pipe 4, with the accumulating tanks 5 (FIG. 1). The latter are intended for the thermostatic regulation of the filtered solution or suspension of food substances; in order to ensure the continuity of the installation operation, two accumulating tanks are provided.

The accumulating tanks 5 are enclosed by a common water jacket 34 intended for the thermostatic regulation of the solution.

The heating is done by means of electric heating elements (not shown) provided in the lower portion of the water space of the jacket 34.

The covers 35 of the accumulating tanks 5 are closed hermetically, as the supply of a solution from the tanks 5 is effected by compressed air of some 0.1 atm charged by a compressor 36 through a compressed air system 37.

The accumulating tanks 5 are connected, by means of the pipe 6, with the collector 7 fashioned as a heated pipe with branches through which the solution or the suspension is fed into the feed-control device 8 (FIGS. 4 and 5).

The feed-control device 8 (FIGS. 4 and 5) comprises a cylindrical chamber 38 with a rotatable disk 39. The latter can be arranged externally (FIG. 4) or internally (FIG. 5) from the bottom of the chamber 38.

Provided in the bottom 40 of the chamber 38 along a concentrical circumference are holes 41. The disk 39 also has holes 42.

In case of the external arrangement of the disk 39 relative to the bottom 40 of the chamber 38 (FIG. 4), the disk 39 is tightly pressed against the bottom 40 by means of a spring 43 arranged outside the chamber 38, via a shaft 44 and a key 45.

These above parts also serve to actuate the disk 39 from a drive .46, as a result of which the holes 41 in the bottom 40 (FIGS. 4 and 6) match, in succession, with disk 39 is tightly pressed against the bottom 40 of the chamber 38 by means ofa spring 43 accommodated inside said chamber as well as by the pressure of the solution or the suspension fed into the chamber 38 through a branch pipe 47. The rotation of the disk 39 is similar to the rotation of this disk in case of its external ar rangement relative to the bottom 40, i.e., from the drive 46 via the shaft 44 and the key 45.

The holes in the disk are made at an angle to its rotation angle, their outlets being arranged outwardly from said rotation axis.

The feed-control devices 8 (FIG. 1) are provided in the upper part of the device 9 (FIGS. 1, 7 and 8) for forming granules. Arranged above said device 9 are the collector 7 for feeding the solution or the suspension to the feed-control devices 8 and the drive'46 of the above devices 8.

The collector 7 (FIGS. 1, 7 and 8) is made as a pipe with branches, heated by means of the water jacket through which the solution or the suspension is fed through flexible hoses to the tanks of the feed-control devices 8.

The device 9 includes a vessel 48 (FIG. 7) accommodating therein box coolers 49 with a cooling brine circulating inside. Said collers 49 are mounted on a hinged front wall of the vessel 48, which wall can thus be opened to facilitate sanitary treatment of the inside of said vessel. The lower portion of the vessel 48 accommodates a pipe 50 designed to feed a liquid taking formed granules out of the above vessel 48 via the pipe 10 into the device 11 (FIG. 1) which separates granules from the forming liquid. This purpose is also served by a branch pipe 51 (FIG. 7) arranged in the lower part of the pipe 10.

The arrangement 11 (FIG. 1) for separating granules from the forming liquidconsists of two members: a centrifuge 52 (FIGS. 1 and 9) and a meshed drum 53 (FIG. 1) that intercommunicate via a branch pipe 54 (FIG. 9).

The centrifuge 52 comprises a taper punched drum 55 expanding topwise and rotatable on a vertical axle. Arranged externally from said drum 55 are circular collectors 56 and 57 in its upper and lower parts, respectively, the upper one 56 being intended for picking up and taking out granules through the branch pipe 54 and the lower one 57 for collecting and draining the forming liquid via the branch pipe 58 into the tank 59 (FIG. 1).

The upper collector 56 (FIG. 9) has a cover60 with hoppers 61 and 62 thereon intended for feeding granules into the drum 55 and supplying water into the collector 56 for taking these granules outside, respectively.

The meshed drum 53 (FIG. 1) is made rotatable on a sloping tubular shaft 63 through which flushing water is fed into the drum 53.

The face walls of the drum 53 have holes in their center, through which granules are charged into said drum and discharged therefrom.

Along the rotating drum 53, granules flow thanks to the slopping of the drum, while their discharging is effected by means of blades (not shown) secured on a face wall of the drum from a discharging side and with the aid of the sloping chute 12 that channels granules into the device 13 for their sorting according to size.

The sorting device 13 (FIGS. 1 and is intended for picking up, from the flow, granules whose diameter are larger that a maximum preset one and which can be formed during the starting period of the installation operation or in case of malfunction.

The device 13 is made as a gauze 65 formed by plates and vibrating under the action of an eccentric vibrator 66.

The above plates are secured on a frame, parallel to each other, with gaps equal to a maximum permissible diameter of a granule.

Under the gauze 65 and at its end, there are sloping chutes 67 and 68, of which the chute 67 arranged under the gauze 65 has a hopper 69 beneath, that channels granules into the pipe 14 wherein the water flow takes said granules to the device 15 (FIG. 1) for their subsequent treatment with water solutions.

Granules of excessive diameters pass over the gauze 65 (FIG. 10) and are channeled through the chute 68 into a separate collector 70.

Mounted above the sorting gauze 65 are pipes (not shown) designed to sprinkle the gauze 65 with water, which helps granules to move thereon and facilitates their further travel.

If it is necessary to sort granules to more than two size fractions, the gauze 65 formed by radiating plates, can be arranged.

The number of chutes under the gauze and their arrangement must correspond to the prescribed size fractions of granules.

The device 15 (FIGS. 1 and 11) for treating granules with water solutions of various substances is made of a number of vessels 71 combined by a continuous chain conveyer 71 arranged in a vertical plane and carrying punched shells 73 that contain granules through the solutions-filled vessels. Provided in the first and the last, along the travel path of the granules, vessels 71 are devices 74 and 75 intended respectively for charging and discharging granules into shells 73 during their continuous travel.

A chain 76 (FIGS. 12 and 13) of the conveyer 72 forms, by turning around some sprockets 77 (FIGS. 11 and 13), vertical branches of the conveyer 72, which are sunk into the vessels 71 (FIG. 10) containing solutions. Secured rigidly on links 78 (FIGS. 12 and 13) of the chain 76 are horizontal fingers 79 set on which with their bottoms 80, with the aid of bushes 81 fixed therein, are the shells 73 having punched walls and hopper necks tapering off toward the outlet. In addition to said shells also set on the bases of the fingers 79 are springs 82 pressing on the bottoms of the shells 73, as a result of which said shells are pressed, by their necks, against a cover plate 83 common to them all, said cover plate 83 having ports 84 (FIGS. 13 and 14) in the charging and discharging zones of the shells 73 opposite to their necks.

Either charging or discharging devices 74 or 75 (FIG. 13) is made as a disk 85 rigidly set on an axle 86 common with the sprocket 77 of the chain conveyer 72 (FIG. 11), which is accommodated in the lower portion of the vessel 71, said disk adjoining the cover plate 83 (FIG. 13) that separates the disk 85 from the necks of the shells 73.

To load granules into the charging device 74 or to take them out of the discharging device 75, a branch pipe 91 is provided coaxially with the disk on a wall 90 of the vessels 71, the first and the last, along the travel path of the granules, said branch pipe 91 freely entering, with one of its ends, into a central hole 87 of the disk 85. In the charging device 74, the branch pipe 91 is connected, by its other end, with the pipe 14 (FIG. 1) that feeds granules to the charging device 74, and in the discharging device 75 with the pipe 16 that takes granules therefrom to the drain conveyer 17 (.FIG. 1).

The conveyer 17 (FIGS. 1 and 15) is intended for holding granules thereon so as to permit the liquid that carries the granules to run off.

The conveyer 17 (FIG. 15) consists of a tubular frame 92 whose ends mount both a drive drum 93. and a strain drum 94. The bearing member of the conveyer 17 is a punched plate 'whose upper branch is supported in between the drums 93 and 94 by a chute 96 providedwith a meshed bottom and closed rims.

For complete cleaning of granules fromthe punched plate-95, the conveyer 17 set comprises a blast blower 97 supplying air intoabranch pipe 98 having a longitudinal slit, said branch pipe 98 being secured above the lower branch of the punched plate 95 so that air blowing from the slit fshould clean the lower branch of the punched plate 95.from stuck granules.

From the conveyer 17 the granules are fed, through a hopper 99, into the device 18 for mixing the granules treated with water solutions with taste and aroma substances.

The device 18 (FIG. 1) is made as a sloping rotating drum with inner longitudinal ribs, said drum being fitted with arrangements 100 and 101 for feeding dry and liquid substances, respectively.

In addition to the prime devices and arrangements described hereinabove, the installation for the production of granulated products (FIG. 1) is equipped with a number of auxiliary devices such as a system 104 for the circulation of a liquid that takes granules from the device 9 where they are formed, a system 105 for the circulation of water fed into the device 13 for sorting granules and taking them into the device 15 for treatment with water solutions, and a system 106 for the circulation of a sodium chloride solution that takes granules from the device 15 tothe drain conveyer 17. These systems 104, 105 and 106 are made, respectively, of: the collector 59 for a liquid conveying granules, a water collector 107, a brine collector 108, a circulation pumps 109, 110 and 111, heat exchangers 112, 113 and 114, and pipings that connect all of said elements into the system.

Besides, the installation is equipped with a device 115 for preparing a tanning solution, made of an apparatus 116 for preparing the solution proper, a tank 117 and a heat exchanger 118 for cooling said solution.

The installation also has a tank 119 for preparing ferric chloroate, a tank 120 for preparing a sodium chloride solution and a heat exchanger 121 for cooling the water.

The installation for the production of granulated products imitating sturgeon caviar is operated as follows.

Fed into the vessel 19 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the device 1 for preparing solutions are 78 weight parts of a 0.4 percent water solution of sodium hydroxide at some 20C. Bunkers 102 of this device are filled: one with finely ground casein and the other with gelatin.

After that, the geared motor 22 of the mixer 20 is started and, as the mixing of the sodium hydroxide solution continues, fifteen weight parts of casein are gradually poured into it from the bunker 102. Mixing is to be continued for 40-50 minutes until casein granules begin to swell.

Then, the heating elements 26 (FIG. 2) are switched on. The mixture is heated to 60-70 C and kept atsuch a temperature for l or 1.5 hour with the mixing continued until the casein dissolves completely.

When the casein is all dissolved, seven weight parts of ground nutritive gelatin are gradually poured into the vessel 19 from the second bunker 102 without interrupting the mixing operation. Thereafter the solution is mixed an additional to 20 minutes, until a homogenous viscous solution is obtained.

After that, the geared motor 22 of the mixer 20 is cut off, the cam sleeve 23 disengaged, said geared motor 22 moved on the rotary base 24 aside from the vessel 19 and the cover 25 of said vessel is sealed tightly.

Compressed air fed to the vessel 19 by the compressor 36 via the branch pipe 27 forces the solution from the vessel 19 through the pipe 2 and the filter 3 into the accumulating tanks 5.

Once the accumulating tanks 5 are full of the solution, said tanks 5 are tightly sealed by the covers and air compressed at some 0.l-0.5 atm is supplied into one of these tanks 5 through the compressed air system 37.

As a result, the solution from said tank 5 goes, through the pipe 6, to the collector 7 and therefrom to the chambers of the feed-control devices 8.

Depending on a required size of granules, the pressure of the air fed into the accumulating tanks 5 is selected and, so, consequently, is the pressure of the solution in the chambers of the feed-control devices (0.l-0.5 atm); the rpm. of the disks of said devices must be within 300 to 500.

Simultaneously with the feeding of the solution into the chambers of the feed-control devices 8, the drive 46 of the disks 39 must be actuated to rotate the latter; as a result, the matching of the holes 42 in the disks 39 with the holes 41 in the bottoms 40 of the chambers 38 leads to of controlled portions of the solutions from the chambers of the feed-control devices 38 into the medium wherein granules are formed. Used as such medium is a vegetable oil, e.g., corn oil.

The escape of the solution from the chambers 38 is also assisted, in addition to an excessive solution pressure created in said chambers 38 due to air pressure, by arranging the holes 42 at an angle to the axis of rotation of the disks 39 that perform, if imparted some 500 r.p.m., as rotors of centrifugal pumps sucking off the solution from the chambers 38 at the moment when the holes 41 in the bottoms 40 match theholes 42 in the disks 39.

Prior to granules formation, the vessels 48 of the granules forming device 9 and the pipe 10 are filled, as communicating vessels, with the forming liquid up to a level where it drains from the upper end of said pipe 10, which, approximately, is some 100-150 mm below the outlet holes of the disks 39 or the bottoms 40 of the chambers 38 of the feed-control devices 8.

However, the-upper level of the forming liquid in the vessel 48 during the formation of granules must be kept l0-l5 mm higher than theabove outlet holes.

This is achieved owing to the head of the forming liquid that rises to a required level in the vessel 48, this head made possible through the circulation of the forming liquid in the system 104 in the course of forming by the pump 109 in the lower portion of the vessel 48 of the device 9 via the branch pipe 50.

Besides, by taking the forming liquid from the tank 59, the pump 109, forces it through the heat exchanger 112 for cooling down to 46 C and into the pipe 10 via the branch pipe 51, parallel to its feeding to the de vice 9.

The supply of the forming liquid into the lower portion of the device 9 and the pipe 10 is conducive to the emergence of the flow of the forming liquid escaping from its upper end.

During the operation, the solution portions supplied by the feed-control devices 8 directly into the forming liquid assume therein the shape of ball-like granules that are gradually sinking into the lower cooled layers of the forming liquid.

The cooling of granules results in the transformation of the liquid protein solution into gel.

The cooling of the forming liquid in the device 9 occurs owing to a cooling agent circulating through the coolers 49 sunk in the forming liquid.

Granules sunk by the forming liquid flow into the lower part of the device 9 are further taken into the pipe 10 and therefrom into the arrangement 11 for separating granules from the forming liquid, getting first inside the hopper 61 of the centrifuge 52, that channels them into the rotating taper punched drum 55.

Due to centrifugal forces developing in the course of rotation of the drum 55, the forming liquid passes through its punched wall and is thrown back into the lower circular receiver 57 from which it is drained,, via the branch pipe 58, from the arrangement 11 into the tank 59. Freed from the forming liquid, the granules climb along the taper wall of the drum 55 up to its upper edge and are thrown back into the upper circular collector 56 from which the flow of water coming into the collector 56 through the hopper 62 takes them along the branch pipe 54 to the meshed drum 53 for final washing of granules from the remains of the forming liquid.

In the course of a continuous rotation of the meshed drum 53, granules sprinkled abundantly with water through the hollow shaft 63 of said drum flow along the latter owing to its slight incline. After washing off the granules, the water is drained into the pan 64.

After their final wash from the forming liquid, the granules approaching the back wall of the drum are picked up by blades (not shown) secured on said wall and dropped therefrom on to the chute that channels them into the device 13 for sorting.

Provision, in the device 11 for separating granules from the forming liquid, of the centrifuge 52 helps ensure continuous separation of granules and their uninterrupted feeding into the charging device 74 of the device 15 for treating granules with water solutions.

Sorting of granules in the proposed installation is made indispensable, as the formation of granules nonstandard in size is possible in limited numbers at the start-off and during the adjustment of the installation when the operating mode is not yet settled; all of this 11 is done despite the production of granules uniform in size thanks to feed-control devices 8.

Very small granules will be carried by the washing water through the mesh of the drum 53, the sorting device 13 being intended for separating granules which are too large.

In the device 13,, granules abundantly sprinkled with water are fed onto the sloping vibrating gauze 65 that has longitudinal gaps of a width to permit granules of a preset size to fall through said gaps onto the receiving within minutes at a rate of the conveyer 72 equal to v chute 67 arranged under the gauze. Granules of sizes larger than the required one roll into down the gauze 65 without falling through into the gaps, fall into the chute 68 provided at the end of the above gauze 65 and are channeled into the separate collector 70.

To limit the rate of flow of cold water that moves granules in the sorting device 13 and their delivery to the shells 73, the installation provides for the system 105 for the circulation of this water which, after the transportationof granules to said shells 73, enters the vessel 71, the first one along the travel path of the granules, and flows out therefrom into the collector 107 through the pipe.

Furtheron, the circulation pump 110 forces the water through pipes into the heat exchanger 113 wherein it is cooled down to 4-6 C and then goes to sprinkle granules in the sorting device 13.

From the chute 67, standard-size granules are flushed into the hopper 69 with its bottom communicating with the pipe 14 through which said granules go to the central hole 87 of the disk 85 of the charging device 74 arranged in the vessel 71, the first one along the travel path of the granules, of the device 15 for treating granules with water solutions.

From the central hole 87, granules are taken by the water flow along the channels of the rotating disk 85 whose outlets 89 match, at the moment, with the necks of the continuously moving shells 73 through the port 84 in the cover plate 83 and fill the latter.

The granules-carrying water escapes from the shells 73 through their punched walls into the vessel 71, the first one along the travel path of thegranules, and further into the collector 107 through the piping of the water circulation system 105.

Thus, the vessel 71, the first one along the travel path of the granule, of the device 15 is intended for the location of the charging device 74 therein and carrying out the charging of the punched shells 73 with granules.

From the vessel 71, the first one along the travel path of the granules, the granules-tilled shells 73 are carried in succession through all of the other vessels of the device 15, that are filled with water solutions for treating granules. The successive second and third vessels contain a tanning solution.

For the preparation of the tanning solution, 8.5 kg of dry tea leaves should be charged into the unit 116 (FIG. 1), to be filled with 150 litres of hot water; after that the temperature is raised to 100C and the tea leaves are to be kept therein for one hour. After that the extract is drained into the tank 117 and then fed into the second and thrid, along the travel path of the granules, vessels of the device 15 at 46 C with the aid of the feed-control pump 103 via the heat exchanger 118.

The length of travel of the granules-filled shells 73 in the tanning solution ensures the tanning of granules 0.2 m/min.

The fourth and sixth vessels 71 (along the travel path of the granules) are filled with a washing whose temperature is 46C, fed. into said vessels from water supply via the coolers 121.

Washing of granules takes some 5 minutes.

The fifth (along the travel path of the granules) vessel 71 is filled with a 0.1 percent water solution of ferric chlorate. v

This solution is prepared in the tank 119 and intended for dying granules to make them grayish.

The preset concentration of said solutions in the vessels 71 is maintained, as the shells 73 are passing through them, by adding definite quantities of fresh portions of the solutions by means of dosing pump 103.

Theseventh (along the travel path of the granules) vessel 71 is filled with a concentrated sodium chloride solution cooled down to 46C. Salting of granules in this solution takes 2.5 to 3 minutes.

The sodium chloride solution is prepared in the tank 120 and supplied regularly to the seventh vessel to maintain its concentration in both the vessel and the system 106 of its circulation.

Besides the salting of the granules the discharging of the shells 73 is also carried out in the above seventh vessel by taking granules therefrom to the vdrain con veyer 17 with the aid of the sodium chloride solution circulating in the system 106 and fed to said vessel by the pump 111 via theheat exchanger 114.

The pump 111 helps maintain the level of the sodium chloride solution in the vessel 71 above the level of its escape from the pipe 16. As a result, the 'salt solution penetrates into the inside of the shells 73 available in the vessel, through the punched walls of said shells.

From the'shells whose necks match at the moment with the outlets 89 of radial'channels 88 of the rotating disk 85 through the port 84 in the cover plate 83, the solution picks up granules available therein and carries them along the radial channels into the central hole 87 of the disk 85.

From the hole 87, the solution carrying granules is fed through the pipe 91 to the pipe 16 (FIG. 1) and poured, together with granules, onto the drain conveyer 17.

The provision of the conveyer 72 combining the vessels 71, in the device 15 for treating granules enables continuous treatment of granules in water solutions of various substances by way of the granules-filled shells 73 of the conveyer 72 passing, in succession, through all the vessels 71.

The drain conveyer 17 is the place where the sodium chloride solution as well as the moisture emerging from granules due to salting are separated from said granules. Through the meshed draper 95 of the conveyer 17, the above liquids flow off into the collector 108 of the system 106 of the salt solution circulation, while the tanned, dyed and salted granules roll off the meshed draper 95 of the conveyer 17 into the hopper 99 that channels them into the device 18 for mixing with taste and aroma substances.

During the separation of granules from said liquids, some of them stick to the meshed draper of the conveyer 17.

For removing the granules, air is supplied from the blast blower 97 into the pipe 97, whose jet blows off granules stuck to the draper 95 into the hopper 99.

lnto the device 18, granules are fed through a port (not shown) in a face wall of the rotating drum (not shown). Supplied in the same way into the drum from the measuring devices 100 and 101 are dry and liquid substances being mixed with the granules during the drums rotation. The mixing of said granules with taste and aroma substances is best assisted by the inner longitudinal ribs of the above drum. As the latter is sloped, the granules being mixed move along the drum and escape from it through'the open face as soft caviar ready for packaging.

To ensure the continuity of the installations operation and the supply 'thereinto of caviar granules production and treatment components, the cycles of preparing such components as a granules forming solution, a tanning solution, a dying solution and a salting solution are repeated.

We claim:

1. An installation for the production of granulated products from food substances comprising in combination:

a means for preparing a food substance in liquid form;

means for controlling the feed of the food substance in liquid form connected in series with said means for preparing the food substance in liquid form;

a means for forming granules of the food substance in liquid form in a forming liquid connected in series with said means for controlling the feed of the food substance in liquid form;

a means for separating said granules from said forming liquid;

a means for sorting said granules according to size connected in series with said means for separating said granules from said forming liquid;

means for continuously treating said granules with water solutions connected in series with said means for sorting the granules according to size; and

a means for mixing said granules with taste and aroma substances connected in series with said means for continuously treating the granules with water solutions.

2. The installation according to claim 1, wherein said means for controlling the feed of the food substance in liquid form comprises:

a chamber having a bottom;

holes in the bottom of said chamber arranged along a concentrical circumference;

a rotary shaft;

a disk mounted on said shaft, tightly pressed against said bottom of said chamber by means of a spring and located inside said chamber; and

holes in said disk arranged along a concentrical circumference matching in succession with the holes in said bottom of said chamber during rotation of the disk at the moment of feeding the food substance in liquid form into the forming liquid, said holes in the disk being directed at an angle to an axis of rotation and the outlets of the holes extending from the axis of rotation.

3. The installation according to claim 1, wherein said means for controlling the feed of the food substance in liquid form comprises:

a chamber having a bottom;

holes in said bottom of said chamber arranged along a concentrical circumference;

a rotary shaft;

a disk mounted on said shaft, tightly pressed against the bottom of said chamber by means of a spring and located outside said chamber; and

holes in said disk arranged along a concentrical circumference matching in succession with the holes in said bottom of said chamber duringrotation of the disk at the moment of feeding the food substance in liquid form into the forming liquid, said holes in the disk being directed at an angle to an axis of rotation and the outlets of the holes extending from the axis of rotation.

4. The installation according to claim I, wherein said means for forming granules of the food substance in liquid form comprises:

a vessel containing said forming liquid;

a pipe for removing said granules with said forming liquid from said vessel to said means for separating said granules from said forming liquid;

a vessel for receiving said forming liquid from said means for separating said granules from said forming liquid;

a pump for circulating said forming liquid;

a heat exchanger for cooling said forming liquid; and

.a pipe connecting in succession said vessel for receiving said forming liquid, said pump for circulating said forming liquid, said heat exchanger for cooling said forming liquid and said vessel containing said forming liquid.

5. The installation according to claim I, wherein said means for continuously treating said granules with water solutions comprises:

a plurality of vessels containing water solutions;

an endless chain conveyer having links with fingers rigidly secured on said links, said conveyer extending through all of said vessels;

shells mounted on said fingers of said conveyer, each of said shells having a bottom, punched walls and an open neck;

means for charging said granules into said shells located in the first of said vessels in the direction of travel of said granules;

means for discharging said granules from said shells located in the last of said vessels in the direction of travel of said granules; and

a cover plate common to all of the shells, said cover plate having ports in the charging and discharging means opposite said necks of the shells, said shells being pressed by said necks to said cover plate by means of springs set on said fingers.

6. The installation according to claim 5, wherein each of the charging and discharging means comprises: a disk' having a thick portion rigidly and coaxially secured with a sprocket of said chain conveyer, accommodated in the lower portion of the vessel, said disk adjoining the cover plate which separates said disk from the necks of the shells; a central hole in the thick portion of the disk for the granules, said hole located on a side opposite to said cover plate; and radial channels in the thick portion of said disk extending from said central hole outwardly, with outlet holes being provided on a side of said disk, that adjoins the cover plate, and matching, in succession, with the necks of the shells through a port in said cover plate during movement of the conveyer.

7. The installation according to claim 1, wherein the means for separating the granules from the forming liquid comprises: a centrifuge for separating the granules from the forming liquid and for feeding the granules in a continuous flow said means for treating said granules with said water solutions; a rotary meshed drum for washing the granules and a branch pipe communicating said centrifuge with said rotary meshed drum.

8. The installation according to claim 7, wherein the centrifuge comprises a taper punched drum having upper and lower portions; the drum expanding topwise and rotating on a vertical axis, with circular collectors having branch pipes and accommodated externally in the upper and lower portions of the drum, respectively, of which the upper collector is intended for collecting l6 and removing the granules and the lower collector for collecting and draining the forming liquid.

9. The installation according to claim 1, wherein the means for sorting the granules comprises a sloping vibrating gauze fashioned as radiating plates that form gaps of a variable section.

10. The installation according to claim 1, wherein the means for sorting the granules comprises a sloping vibrating gauze made as radiating plates that form gaps of a permanent section. 

1. An installation for the production of granulated products from food substances comprising in combination: a means for preparing a food substance in liquid form; means for controlling the feed of the food substance in liquid form connected in series with said means for preparing the food substance in liquid form; a means for forming granules of the food substance in liquid form in a forming liquid connected in series with said means for controlling the feed of the food substance in liquid form; a means for separating said granules from said forming liquid; a means for sorting said granules according to size connected in series with said means for separating said granules from said forming liquid; means for continuously treating said granules with water solutions connected in series with said means for sorting the granules according to size; and a means for mixing said granules with taste and aroma substances connected in series with said means for continuously treating the granules with water solutions.
 1. An installation for the production of granulated products from food substances comprising in combination: a means for preparing a food substance in liquid form; means for controlling the feed of the food substance in liquid form connected in series with said means for preparing the food substance in liquid form; a means for forming granules of the food substance in liquid form in a forming liquid connected in series with said means for controlling the feed of the food substance in liquid form; a means for separating said granules from said forming liquid; a means for sorting said granules according to size connected in series with said means for separating said granules from said forming liquid; means for continuously treating said granules with water solutions connected in series with said means for sorting the granules according to size; and a means for mixing said granules with taste and aroma substances connected in series with said means for continuously treating the granules with water solutions.
 2. The installation according to claim 1, wherein said means for controlling the feed of the food substance in liquid form comprises: a chamber having a bottom; holes in the bottom of said chamber arranged along a concentrical circumference; a rotary shaft; a disk mounted on said shaft, tightly pressed against said bottom of said chamber by means of a spring and located inside said chamber; and holes in said disk arranged along a concentrical circumference matching in succession with the holes in said bottom of said chamber during rotation of the disk at the moment of feeding the food substance in liquid form into the forming liquid, said holes in the disk being directed at an angle to an axis of rotation and the outlets of the holes extending from the axis of rotation.
 3. The installation according to claim 1, wherein said means for controlling the feed of the food substance in liquid form comprises: a chamber having a bottom; holes in said bottom of said chamber arranged along a concentrical circumference; a rotary shaft; a disk mounted on said shaft, tightly pressed against the bottom of said chamber by means of a spring and located outside said chamber; and holes in said disk arranged along a concentrical circumference matching in succession with the holes in said bottom of said chamber during rotation of the disk at the moment of feeding the food substance in liquid form into the forming liquid, said holes in the disk being directed at an angle to an axis of rotation and the outlets of the holes extending from the axis of rotation.
 4. The installation according to claim 1, wherein said means for forming granules of the food substance in liquid form comprises: a vessel containing said forming liquid; a pipe for removing said granules with said forming liquid from said vessel to said means for separating said granules from said forming liquid; a vessel for receiving said forming liquid from said means for separating said granules from said forming liquid; a pump for circulating said forming liquid; a heat exchanger for cooling said forming liquid; and a pipe connecting in succession said vessel for receiving said forming liquid, said pump for circulating said forming liquid, said heat exchanger for cooling said forming liquid and said vessel containing said forming liquid.
 5. The installation according to claim 1, wherein said means for continuously treating said granules with water solutions comprises: a plurality of vessels containing water solutions; an endless chain conveyer having links with fingers rigidly secured on said links, said conveyer extending through all of said vessels; shells mounted on said fingers of said conveyer, each of said shells having a bottom, punched walls and an open neck; means for charging said granules into said shells located in the first of said vessels in the direction of travel of said granules; means for discharging said granules from said shells located in the last of said vessels in the direction of travel of said granules; and a cover plate common to all of the shells, said cover plate having ports in the charging and discharging means opposite said necks of the shells, said shells being pressed by said necks to said cover plate by means of springs set on said fingers.
 6. The installation according to claim 5, wherein each of the charging and discharging means comprises: a disk having a thick portion rigidly and coaxially secured with a sprocket of said chain conveyer, accommodated in the lower portion of the vessel, said disk adjoining the cover plate which separates said disk from the necks of the shells; a central hole in the thick portion of the disk for the granules, said hole located on a side opposite to said cover plate; and radial channels in the thick portion of said disk extending from said central hole outwardly, with outlet holes being provided on a side of said disk, that adjoins the cover plate, and matching, in succession, with the Necks of the shells through a port in said cover plate during movement of the conveyer.
 7. The installation according to claim 1, wherein the means for separating the granules from the forming liquid comprises: a centrifuge for separating the granules from the forming liquid and for feeding the granules in a continuous flow said means for treating said granules with said water solutions; a rotary meshed drum for washing the granules and a branch pipe communicating said centrifuge with said rotary meshed drum.
 8. The installation according to claim 7, wherein the centrifuge comprises a taper punched drum having upper and lower portions; the drum expanding topwise and rotating on a vertical axis, with circular collectors having branch pipes and accommodated externally in the upper and lower portions of the drum, respectively, of which the upper collector is intended for collecting and removing the granules and the lower collector for collecting and draining the forming liquid.
 9. The installation according to claim 1, wherein the means for sorting the granules comprises a sloping vibrating gauze fashioned as radiating plates that form gaps of a variable section. 